Six hours is a long time
by gjhstories
Summary: I was searching for stories based on 200 and the Hotch and Emily 'moment'. I did not find any, so I wrote one. It's a one chapter, which I'm willing to develop into multi chapters if time permits. Hope you're blessed by it. Writing is therapy and reading is the same.
1. Six hours

"…a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, a time to search and a time to give up." Ecclesiastes 3:5-6

Six hours is a long time. More than half a work day, less than the suggested hours of sleep required, sufficient time to give, take and make love.

Aaron knew that his thoughts were selfish. Emily's ability to spend six more hours in the United States should be spent with the team and not only with him. The chance to be in her physical presence alone should be acceptable but sadly it was not. He had an unchained desire to tell her how much she meant to him. How this desire was overriding his ability to be Aaron Hatcher, the controlled one.

She flashed him a smile and his heart beat faster. She nervously touched her hair and it increased his desire.

'Do you want me to get the team so we can plan a place to meet up or…' she'd left the or, trailing off into her own thoughts, seemingly giving him the opportunity to court her, willing him to control this situation and not himself.

He bowed his head shyly. He saw the bait and like fish starved for food, he longed to proffer her unspoken offer.

Their eyes locked when he finally raised his head to her once more and he opened his mouth to request dinner, a late lunch, a drink at a 'pub' even, but the public instead intruded. Penelope and Morgan entered the room and his 'or…' was swallowed by Penelope's squeal.

The team together once more was the topic of the day. JJ would miss this gathering as she needed time to recuperate on so many levels, but, the team was back together none the less and Hotch regretted his willingness to deny them time with her.

Drinks at the newest spot in town was agreed.

"Old friends returning doesn't mean old places need to be haunted. We're taking you out to the new and improved." Morgan teased.

"Well of course we are." Penelope chimed in. "It'll be a place befitting of a queen my lady.' When Garcia bowed for effect, Hotch and Emily launched in unison and Morgan too joined in with the bowing and salute.

They departed at this juncture to inform the rest of the team of the plans and Aaron stood calculating the 15 minutes that had stretched by since she had said 'Six more hours'.

"Would you like me to take you to your hotel?" was his next grasp at etching out a rime of solitude.

"I would like that very much." Emily decided to confess. If distance made the heart grow fonder, then one would think she had moved to Australia and not simply across the pond. Hearing his voice on the other line when he had first called to let her know about JJ, seeing him in person when she had returned, being under his command and yet being his equal, somehow had heightened her own desires to no longer compartmentalize, but to instead, chain him to her.

He placed his hand on the small of her back as she'd often seen in the movies and felt by other men but the feeling wasn't the same as when he just did it. She remembered when Viper had leaned into her and how Hotch had very Hotchnerly angled himself in front of her. Like a film roll, her mind raced to him coming to her apartment and saying "I need you on that plane with me" and to her own time of confession, when she had told him in his apartment "He's not alone", surreptitiously telling him, that neither was he.

When they reached his SUV, he opened her door for her and she choose to enchant him with her beautiful smile. Six hours has to be enough, she thought.

Six hours needs to be sufficient to give, take and make love.


	2. Five hours and counting

_**Prologue**_  
It was difficult to imagine anything further than the waning six hour timeframe before them. They both knew their careers were roadblocks to anything long-lasting but the intensity of emotions restrained for so long were raging for release. Additional impetus to the sudden change in their outlook was an invisible neon sign brightly proclaiming "FRATERNISATION: AN OPTION". Could they imagine a Hotch and Emily outside of a BAU existence? Could they consider the possibility of being in this moment, towards, having a moment?

_**"As a lily among brambles, so is my love among the young women." Song of Solomon 2:2**_

The drive from the building parking lot was tense with silence. There was an unspoken question haunting both their minds. "Where do we go from here...with this...with the time left?"

As Hotch neared the Hotel Monaco, his hands gripped the wheel tighter, a symbolic expression of his desire to not release the chance to be with her. He pondered his next move. Dropping her off at the hotel, with the promise of returning to pick her up would speak volumes of timidity and not desire; however, broaching the option of drinks, when they were going to be drinking with the team was a clear indication of desperation.

Her next words surprised him out of his uncertainty and he realised with definite peace that six hours was enough time to give, take and make love.

'You know, if you have your go bag, you could get ready here instead of heading out and then coming back for me?' She had spoken with finality in her voice, but the sudden bulge to her eyes was his clear indication that she was more shocked than he was at her forward suggestion.

He decided not to leave her on the limb of doubt and fear, and calmly responded "Logistically that makes sense."

She smiled and was glad for the interruption of the valet who appeared at Hotch's door. They disembarked and went to retrieve their bags from the back of the vehicle. Ever the gentleman, Hotch took his and her bag in hand allowing her to proceed him to the elevators. As the doors closed, creating an enclave of opportunity, they also felt the enslaved feeling of wantonness spinning a web around them. This wasn't adultery, it wasn't unrequited love and it certainly wasn't immorality for a handsome man and a beautiful woman to be willing to take the chance of being each other's comfort, yet each breath they took, breathed feelings of betrayal and thoughts of duplicity.

"I know." she said out loud.

"I understand." He responded.

They chuckled at their unspoken conversation, rhythmic of the synchronized way they had moved previously on cases. They spared each other sideway glances of mirth and humor as the elevator proceeded upwards. The weight of thoughts unspoken and words left unsaid slid away with the opening of the elevator doors and the walk to her room were steps of confidence buoyed by feelings of togetherness. When she closed the room door behind them, the enslaved feelings were gone and an enchanted emotion took over.

"Do you want something to drink?" she asked as she saw the tray of beverages on the settee at the bed.

"Sure water would be fine" he answered.

She poured the liquid into the tumbler and handed it to him as he positioned himself on a couch chair by the windows. Distance would not accomplish what they desired and so she seated herself at the couch chair next to his. They looked out at the street below, with the people bustling to and fro.

"How's Jack?" she ventured.

"He's good." Hotch responded "I'm enjoying watching him grow up. It gets a bit overwhelming at times but I'm certainly grateful for the support I get from the team and Hailey's sister." He concluded, sliding further into the chair. He lay his head back and inhaled deeply. Fatigue was a natural part of their existence but she knew that this action was an expression of relaxation rather than fatigue.

"And how's London." He countered, opening his eyes and staring intently at her.

She opened her mouth to respond and in her Emily way, she started speaking in a monotonous tone, trailing off in mid-sentence, followed by sudden bursts of further explanation, with hints of sarcasm. There was only so much she could really share about her role and her teams at Interpol and he didn't want her to feel obligated to share more than she could. He was simply happy to be with her, alone, listening to her face to face, rather than over the computer or over the phone.

He didn't realise that he was staring at her lilywhite complexion with fascination, until she tilted her head sideways with a questioning look on her face.

"Am I rambling?" she asked with a crooked smile.

"No, not at all." he answered and returned with a smile of his own. She analysed that this was not the smile he used for members of his team. It was open, unreserved, reaching his eyes and touching her soul. It was a lover's smile, tender and genuine. She slid further into the chair, pulling her knees to her chest and placing her left hand under her head. She looked soft and delicate, like a lily, encased in an oriental material.

"What about Blake?" she asked "How's she as a team member?" she continued.

He heard her unspoken question– 'Is she as good a team member as I was? Have I been easily replaced?' He chose his next words carefully.

"She's good. She adds a great deal of knowledge to the team. Of course, you must know that if you wanted to come back…"

"I know." She interjected, nodding her head. Her statement seemed to close the chance of him declaring the mountains he would move to have her and so he decided to approach the topic from a more direct angle.

"Do you want to come back?"


	3. 240 minutes

_**Prologue**_

Emily and Hotch are sitting in her hotel room, talking about their life since Emily left the BAU. Their conversation ultimately leads to the elephant in the room topic, when Hotch asks '...Do you want to come back?'

••••••••••••

"_**Come now, let us settle the matter," says the Lord. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool." Isaiah 1:18**_

'...Do you want to come back?'

'Oh look at the time.' She teased, jumping up from her crouched position, feigning shock and awe at her watch's screen. 'I better get a quick shower so we can leave sooner than later, right?' she added with extra cheer.

She spun on her heels to head towards her ready bag, neatly placed besides his by the bed. Instead, she was halted when Aaron's right arm suddenly draped across her path, bouncing non-graciously but most gratefully against her thighs.

She expected a reflex sorry to escape his lips but he said nothing, choosing to look up at her from his seated position, patiently waiting for her to answer.

Emily stared into his eyes, willing him to understand her silence signified reluctance to answer and reluctance to stay.

She retreated to the window's thin ledge, and scotching a seat, she faced him, still saying nothing, still willing him to resign himself to the knowledge that the next 240 minutes would have to suffice.

A midnight rendezvous would not be theirs for the taking; nor would a one-night stand be an option. The moment and time that they could experience was here and now and as she watched him, watching her, wanting him to want her, she gave up and gave in, speaking with an open heart, long ago closed.

'Ho-otch...' She began stiltedly. Dropping the familiarity and choosing formality she proceeded to use his Christian name, 'Aaron, I would love to stay and be here with you guys and be a part of the team again and hope and pray that everything would be okay and return to semi-normalcy in our non-normal lives.' She suddenly stopped, her eyes darting to her phone by the table, expecting it to ring and interrupt the intensity of their conversation but it did not and he continued to sit, staring at her, waiting for her, wanting her.

'And honestly, the way you're looking at me right now,' She lithely licked her upper lip, uncertain of how she should proceed. She didn't need to, as he decided to finish her sentence for her, standing with swiftness and stopping one step in front of her.

'The way I'm looking at you right now should tell you that if you wanted to come back I...'

HIS phone suddenly rang and his SSA Hotchner reflex kicked in this time.

She saw Morgan's name flash across the phone's screen as he brought it out of his pocket and she immediately regretted her and his words that would be left unsaid.

'Hotchner' he answered in a matter of fact tone.

'Hotch, it's Morgan, you're picking up Emily right? We're on our way and Garcia here keeps pestering me' Morgan's next words faded and Emily thought she heard an 'ow' as Garcia must have hijacked his phone with her very own 'Hi-Yah' karate impression.

'Hello my fearless leader!' Garcia cheerily ranted into the phone. 'If you do not get Emily there soon I am going to have to make you fear me, said in the most respectful and loving manner, Sir.'

Hotch smirked into the phone and responded with a voice reserved for Penelope.

'I'll have her there as soon as I can' he answered with finality, knowing the team was thinking he would have to drive from his place back to the hotel.

The call ended with more cheeriness from Penelope and what she could only assume were Morgan's teasing shouts.

'We should get going.' She said.

'We need to finish this.' He replied

'The team will be waiting on us.' She continued.

'We've been waiting on each other.'

He wasn't backing down.

'Emily, you flew to England to find a new life. Things just weren't the same for you after Doyle. I get that, but you know you're still a part of us. We're not leaving here until we settle this.'

'Hotch, I'm not coming back.' She said with dread.

Hotch sighed deeply and fell back into the couch chair. He rested his head in his hands, his elbows at his thighs. Raising his head to face her, he spoke with little emotion this time 'Why?'

'We can never go back.' She lamented

'Not true.' He emphasised 'We moved like clockwork the other night to find JJ and we did and we couldn't have done it without you.'

'We can never go back to pretending like we don't know about all that I did, all that I had to do.'

'Emily' he got up from the chair and scotched next to her at the windowsill. 'We all have scars, physical and emotional.' He surprised her by his own admission, touching his stomach's scars from Foyet subconsciously and she subconsciously found herself reaching for her own stomach, touching the area where Doyle had stabbed her.

'Whatever, the deep, dark secret, whatever the scarlet lettered sin, we can put it behind us and come out stronger, if not unscathed.'

'Scarlet Lettered Sin, huh? She smiled to lighten the mood 'Are you accusing me of something there Mr. Hotchner man'

He laughed. They so easily fell into an easy banter, even while having the talk that would take them where they both wanted to go, but couldn't.

Staring it seemed at her very scared and scarred soul, Emily did the only thing that could preserve the chastity of the moment and gave him a sweet kiss on the cheek.

'I think I'll go take that bath now.'

'You better or Garcia will have both our heads.'

As she walked to the bathroom door with her ready bag in hand, he knew that they still had so much more to say and that another conversation would have to follow.

'The way I was looking at you, you have to know, that if you wanted to come back, I'd be there for you, to listen to your bad days and the good ones.'

She halted for the second time that evening, dropping her ready bag and raising the white, wool robe, she had retrieved from the bed, to her eyes. She didn't know from where the tears had sprung. She had been holding the intensity of the last day inside her, the idea of losing JJ, seeing the team again and now the depth of her emotions with Hotch broke her regal poise and soldier like stance as she sobbed into the wool.

Hotch came slowly to her side, not wanting to break her any further, simply wanting to build back the walls of love and care that she had neglected.

As he turned her into his arms, holding her head to his chest, gently stroking her hair, she heard the howl of the wind outside, as a gust of February's snowy-wind blew into the room. The fall of snow was welcomed as she softy cried into the wool, enclosed in the warmth of his arms, the fears of enemies dead and gone and any new nemesis that would come, kept at bay.

When she finally stopped crying, raising her head to look up into his eyes, they were both thinking that they needed more time to give, take and make love.


	4. Open at three

"_**We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians, and opened wide our hearts to you." ****2 Corinthians 6:11**_

They held on to each other longer than it was needed to comfort her. Their body heat and deep breathing made Emily giddy and she started swaying slightly. Hotch chuckled and swayed gently with her to an unspoken slow tune.

'Maybe we'll dance when we get to the bar.' He said with a smile.

'Why wait for the bar?' She said teasingly

'Because Penelope will hit us with a bar!' He joked, grabbing her upper arms and shaking her for effect.

She laughed and turned on her heels towards the bathroom. Hotch headed back to the couch chair by the window and was surprised to not hear the click of the bathroom door's close. Emily's raised voice amidst the fall of the shower was his answer.

'What do you think I should wear tonight? It's not as cold as London but there is a chill in the air? I don't want the others thinking I'm all British if I go out in a light sweater.'

Hotch wondered if she was asking him what she should wear or what he would like to see her in. His profiler skills obviously wouldn't allow him to hear her question for what it was. Further, he wondered if a life with Emily would be this. Open doors and open hearts were certainly good starting points for a life together.

'A light sweater would be fine.' He responded. He thought of holding her while they danced, wanting as little barrier as possible between them.

'Okay. Great!' He heard the water turn off and held his breath for her entrance.

She sauntered into the room, calm as ever, and headed to her bag.

'Tag.' She joked.

'Unlike you, I will not be leaving the door open.' He teased as he picked up his ready bag.

'And why is that?' She contested, blocking his path to the bathroom.

Looking deeply into her eyes, with a glimmer in his own, he responded 'Because I know you Prentiss. You're a peeker. '

He wanted to jokingly take her by the shoulders once more but she was in her robe, with nothing underneath. This thought alone made him dodge around her and head into the bathroom.

True to his word, he did close the door but he didn't lock it and Emily wondered if that was intentional.

She dressed quickly but pointedly. She chose a teal green sweater and tight fitting jeans, gently brushing her hair to fall delicately around her shoulders.

Hotch exited the bathroom as she finished putting her belongings together.

Disappointingly, he was fully dressed in a brown long sleeve sweater and matching slacks.

'Your expression betrays you.' He said in jest, her disappointment clear in her eyes.

'Well, I was hoping you'd have exited in your towel only.'

'Really. I was hoping the same thing about you.'

'All you had to do was ask.' She jeered.

He stopped mid-way through folding his pants into his bag.

'Okay, I'll ask...Stay?'

'Oh, Hotch, not this again.'

'OK. In the interest of the team, we'll defer this discussion.'

'The answer won't change.'

'And neither will the question.'

With both their bags packed and at a stalemate in their relations, Emily placed her hand on his shoulder to kiss his cheek again. When he looked at her, angling his body in her direction, she knew what he needed and instead placed her lips lovingly against his own.


	5. Two can become one

_"**and the ****two ****will ****become ****one ****flesh.' So they are no longer ****two****, but ****one ****flesh." Mark 10:18**_

'Hotch! Em! Finally! What took you so long?!' J.J.'s exclamation of joy caught Hotch and Emily by surprise. The shocked expressions on their faces as they embraced their friend were unhidden. Knowing what she'd been through a short time ago, they were pleased that she had found the strength to join the team.

The rest of the gang came over to where they stood. Morgan pulled Emily into a side hug, which she very easily returned. Dave clapped Hotch on the back and Penelope stood by patiently waiting for her chance to hug Emily. When Will walked over with Reid and Blake in tow, it was the perfect grouping in an even better setting.

'Morgan was right' Emily thought as they exchanged greetings. 'This place is nice.' She hadn't extricated herself from Morgan's hug and stealing a glance at Hotch, she was at peace to see that he was having a one on one chat with J.J.

'May I get you a drink my lady?' Pen teased and Emily breathed a deep breath of pleasure. She wanted to soak in each and every moment with them and send it by bottle across the ocean to England. She wasn't lonely in London but she wasn't part of a team as yet either.

'Yes thank you.' She finally responded, mimicking Penelope's faux British accent.

'Coming right up.' Pen shouted as she walked away pulling Reid with her.

'How are you feeling?' Morgan asked as she looked around at everyone.

Throwing her head back onto his upper arm, still slinked around her back, she responded 'Great! Wonderful! If only we could be like this all the time. No bad guys, no unsubs. '

'I hear you.' Morgan said pulling her onto the dance floor. She laughed at the slyness that was Derek Morgan and once more looked back at Hotch to bless him with her smile.

Hotch responded in kind and she knew he understood that this was her time to be with the team. Even so, she was comforted to know that his true desire was to be alone with her.

Will and J.J soon joined them, followed by Penelope and Reid. Reid looked like he had learnt some new dance moves since she left and Penelope as usual was doing her own thing. They switched partners occasionally, laughing, talking, taking time to catch up.

Hotch and Dave sat like chaperones at a side table, having their own conversation, looking across at them and raising their glasses. She balked at Hotch when she realised he was drinking her strawberry Pina colada which Penelope had gotten her and used this realisation as an excuse to head over to their table.

'What are you doing?' She asked pulling her drink from his hands.

'Oh, this is yours.' He joked lurching forward for the straw.

'Hotch!' Her eyes were gleaming with love as she jeered at him.

'My beer's done. I'll get you another drink, Em. Don't worry.' Dave said, playfully punching Hotch on the arm as he arose.

Emily took the seat at Hotch's right and tried not to lean into his scent.

'You look like you're having a great time.' He commented, taking another sip of her drink.

'I am.' She beamed looking across at the team and Will. 'I'll miss...' She stopped herself. She knew if she continued with her sentiments, Hotch might offer her the chance to stay again and if he did, she knew she wouldn't be able to say no this time.

'It's okay. You can go ahead and say it.'

'This...' She finished. 'You.' She continued, glancing at him out of the corner of her eye.

He clasped his hands on his lap, restraining himself from taking her left hand in his.

'Two ships passing in the night.' She said out of nowhere.

'Can the two become one?'

Almost on cue, everyone was making their way over to the table and Hotch and Emily had to axe their conversation. Hotch got up for J.J to sit down and Emily walked over to Dave to get her new drink.

'This was a good choice Morgan!' Will said first.

'We should do this more often.' Reid chimed in.

They all laughed at his gleeful expression.

Hotch used the opportunity to see what might be.

'How long again do we have you?'

She pretended to have not been asked the very same question earlier in the day and accepting that she was going to reschedule her flight answered.

"Oh another six hours."


	6. One hour at a time

How can one be warm alone?

"Again, How if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone?"

Ecclesiastes 4:11

Taking Emily back to his place was to be expected. They had checked her out of the hotel, both convinced that the few hours spent talking in her hotel room was to be sufficient. They had driven to the bar in companionable silence, content with the chance to have shared the intimate details of their life for the short period. They had chatted and laughed with the team, happy to have the comforting comradery present once more and yet, what they hadn't expected was that spending those precious moments, would further fuel the furnace of their desire to be closer.

Emily stole a sideways glance at Hotch's profile, smiling peacefully at the next step they were about to take. When Hotch looked across at her a few minutes later, she instinctively reached across and squeezed his thigh. As he turned off the engine, he took her hand, threading her fingers through his.

'I have a spare bedroom Em. There's no pressure. We can have a nightcap and I'll wake you when it's time for the flight.' He was looking at her fingers when he spoke, fearful that looking into her eyes would reveal, that what he was saying was not what he was feeling.

Her mind flashed back to when Derek had offered to take her back to the hotel and when Pen had instead suggested that Emily could stay with her and not that stuffy hotel. Naturally, Dave had piped up that she should stay at his stately home and Reid had simply looked uncomfortable, uncertain if he was to jump in the conversation and offer his place.

When Hotch had brazenly and she had to admit bravely said that there would be no need for their offers as Emily would stay at his place, since her bags were already in his car, the looks on everyone's faces had made her smirk internally. Emily gracefully rescued him though by adding 'And he is the closest one to the airport.'

That final factor had sealed the arrangement and when she had left with Hotch, she had known she would not be staying in any spare bedroom.

She decided to bait him.

Placing her left palm on his right cheek and turning his head up to face her, she asked him 'Is that what you want, Aaron? Me in the spare bedroom? Because you can have me there. I won't mind.'

The double entendre evoked his million dollar smile and as she was confident her point had been made, she opened her door and started for the house.

After grabbing her bag from the back, he quickly followed her, opening the front door with ease.

She hesitated for a few seconds at the doorway, thinking that bounding up the stairs behind him would be too forward. When Hotch suddenly bent down, picking her up by the knees, her arms gently curled around his shoulders. They would retrieve her bag in the morning. She wouldn't need clothes for the spare bedroom anyway.

When he opened the door at the top of the stairs, she knew he was taking her into his room and her heart beat faster at the realisation of it.

'It's a cold night. One can't be warm alone.'

'True.' is all she said as he laid her on the bed.

The soft glow of the moon and the spots of snow falling outside the window was enchanting and as he snuggled up beside her, she felt wonderful.

A gentle kiss to his cheek turned into two, then three, then four until he finally turned his head to kiss her lips.

It was with hope of new beginnings that they lay thinking six hours was indeed sufficient to give, take and make love. 


End file.
